The present invention relates generally to techniques that monitor light, such as techniques that monitor light pulses. Such techniques can, for example, perform photon energy monitoring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,614 describes a wavelength monitor/stabilizer for a narrow bandwidth laser. The monitor/stabilizer uses parameters derived by measuring diameters of interference fringes given by the laser's beam and given by a reference light. The interference fringes are detected with plural image sensors. In contrast to techniques in which light intensity for one laser pulse can be read for every trigger signal to an image sensor, the period of laser pulses may be shorter than the time period for reading; therefore, exposure time can be an integer multiple of the period of the laser pulses.
Various other techniques have been proposed for monitoring light from a laser or other light source, including various techniques for monitoring wavelength.
It would be advantageous to have improved techniques for monitoring light, including improved light pulse monitoring techniques.